The question (12 marks)
Discuss the legal position of euthanasia in India. Distinguish its forms, examine the leading decisions of the Supreme Court, and set out the procedure by which a person may today direct in advance that life-sustaining treatment be withheld from him. (12 marks)
MU Module II, self-determination, euthanasia and advance directives; pack ch. 02.
Plan your answer on paper before you look at the authorities — issue first, then the rule, then apply it to these facts.
It tests Unit 2 · The Doctor-Patient Relationship of Law and Medicine.
Authorities you will need
- Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug v Union of India
- Common Cause (A Registered Society) v Union of India
- Article 21 of the Constitution; Article 142 for the directions issued
- Article 226 and the doctrine of parens patriae, as applied in Aruna Shanbaug
- Mental Healthcare Act 2017, ss. 5 and 115
How an answer is marked
A full-marks answer names the issue in one line, states the rule with its section, cites the authority, applies it to these facts and concludes — in that order. The app's model answer for this question is written in exactly that shape, with a checklist to mark your own attempt against.